A rising darkness
by Sensei200
Summary: The player's job wasn't done after all- maybe it has to do with that evil dungeon, or maybe the sinister goblins. It could be the infected crimson- or perhaps it all leads up to the dangerous path to the underworld, and the terrible impurity that rules there. (Sequel to A Hero's Game)
1. Chapter 1: A rising darkness

AN: First chapter of the sequel, a rising darkness. (Sorry it took me more than a day- I was busy with "more important" matters.)

Chapter 1: The job's not done.

A bright light- yes, something shining in my face. I groaned, and blinked. "Hey guys! Guys! Look! He's awake!" A voice shouted. But I was already beginning to fade. I was unexplainably tired- all that work in the corruption really wears you out. Just as I began to slip back into my slumber, another voice, this one closer was heard.

"Ah, good good, he is finnaly awake." The voice was obviously feminine- and with a sarcastic and bored tone. I wished with all my might I could go back to sleep.

"Maybe he needs a healing potion?" The first voice asked excitedly. I opened both eyes. I could easily tell that the first voice was guide, currently running to the other room. The other one was unfamiliar, but wearing a stereotypical white nurse outfit. I assumed that they were either doctor or nurse- or maybe surgeon. Whichever, I was almost certain that they had no name other than their trade. As I thought this, I wondered how others of their trade communicated. Wouldn't it be confusing to shout, 'Hey,_ you_!' to everyone you wanted to talk to?

"Oh, glad to see you finally came around, player." The person with the nurse outfit said, glancing at their watch. _Player. _There was that name again! I sometimes wished I had some sort of nickname. "Now before you ask, you were out for seven hours, and three minutes. I almost wish you would have waited fifty seven minutes just so I didn't have to say minutes. How very rude of you!" I squinted at them and managed to whisper,

"For ease of conversation, you may call me…" I thought; this was an important decision. "Um- Jacob." _Jacob_. Well, it was better than player. No easier to say- still two syllables but it was a start. They smiled.

"Ok Jacob, call me nurse." They said, momentarily losing their sarcastic air. They then pulled out a clip board, and a pen. "Ok, what's the last thing you remember? I gotta check for amnesia." I thought for a moment, before saying,

"I faced off with the 'eater of worlds' and managed to kill it, before my senses failed. The corruption faded, and I heard some loud cheering." The nurse scribbled something down, before carefully removing a small pulsating scale from her pocket. I winced and tried to look away. "So you recognize this _thing?_" She asked. I turned back and nodded. She put it on her desk- wait desk? Guide must have made them a house, and me a bed, because I sure never crafted a desk, or considered a bed. "Good, you weren't lying about the eater of worlds. Anyways, we collected a bunch of those scales, and also some more of that purple metal- you can make some tools if you use the scales and metal. I frowned at the idea, but managed to play along. Guide came in at that moment, and smiled.

"Hey hero, nice job out there! So sorry I couldn't come help you earlier; it took me a while to convince everyone to come, and nurse here demanded a house." I smiled, and looked at the red phial of liquid he carried. He put it within range of me, and I gratefully accepted it. I popped off the cork, and drank half of it in one gulp. I handed it back to him, and with renewed energy, smiled and said, "Thanks guide." I swung my leg over the bed, and dropped to the floor. I stumbled, but managed to stay standing. I noticed a bench in the corner of the room, made of a dark and grey wood. I smiled and sat down, looking over at guide. "Well guys, you have a lot to explain to me." I said calmly. Guide, seeming like a bottle whose lid had opened immediately began to spill out information.

"So, when you woke up the eater of worlds, we all heard it. Everyone's heart seemed to quail, but I remained calm. I convinced everyone to come with me, but by the time I got there, you were practically dead, but so was it. I saw you finish it, as did nurse and arms dealer-"He motioned to nurse like, '_I will explain later' _and continued. "Everyone cheered, and I walked up to congratulate you. But when I came to your side, you were beginning to fall into unconsciousness, and I barely caught you from hitting your head on the ground. All of the corrupt trees crashed down, leaving a green sapling in place, and the ground formed back together. The grass turned green, and all signs of battle disappeared. We dragged you back, and I managed to throw nurse's house together. Arms dealer will have to wait." I sat, eyes wide, waiting for more. But none came. Guide shifted uneasily.

"And then what?" I asked, smiling decisively.

"And then… well- we saw something. A red splotch, which I believed to be blood was spreading across the ground. It spread backwards, luckily going away from our house but very rapidly. We renewed our pace and got back here."

My eyes widened: I knew what it was. An out of place memory clicked, and I slowly said,

"If what you're saying is true… then we still have a problem." Guide nodded.

"I know. Big problem." We both knew what it was; the late eater of worlds must have given me the memory. Guide already knew everything. I think it was meant as a threat, but I was too horrified at the moment it was placed to notice it. Maybe it simply increased my fear. "The crimson!" We said together. I closed my eyes, and breathed slowly, before saying excitedly, "Well… with the spread of the crimson, I guess my job isn't done. Guide, fetch me my traveling cloak, I'm going out!"


	2. Chapter 2: Scouting

AN sorry it took me a little while longer than usual- hope you don't mind guys :)

Chapter 2: Scouting

Guide shook his head and looked at me like I was crazy. His eyes widened and he reluctantly took a small green cloak from the wall. It was worn and now a very dull color, but kept me warm when traveling.  
"But why do you have to leave already?" He asked, tossing me the cloak. I slipped it on, and opened the door.  
"It's not my choice- I will not let this land corrupt. " I said. Reluctantly, I stepped outside. It was raining heavily, but I did not mind it. With my cloak dripping, I turned towards what was once corruption. My sheath had not left my side, as I was happy to find. I drew my sword, and flicked it through the air. It once again crackled with stored energy, happy to feel the air. I swung it a few times, and it still felt weightless in my hands. Lightning struck behind me, and I smiled. If only guide was watching, because I sure would look cool. I pointed my sword forwards, and charged. Air seemed to give way around me, as the constant stream of rain crashed against me. My hair was plastered against my head, and my cape flowed freely behind me, and I hoped that whatever entity had ultimate power over the crimson could see me, for it would certainly kindle doubt in his heart. An emotion otherwise unknown to him, I guessed. As I spotted the hill that I was to climb over to reach the biome, I slowed down, and lowered my sword. A red haze hung above the mountain, and I saw something tiny flying against the sun. I reached for my bow, which guide had repaired, and readied it, for whatever flying monsters resided there would not catch me off guard again. I reached for my helm, which was lying near the bottom of the infinitely large pack, and placed it upon my head. I proceeded then, walking forward with an old grudge, and I was ready to come back on it. Maybe it wasn't the corruption, but it certainly had something to do with it. And I guessed that something far more powerful, and far more intelligent ruled there. Something that saw less, and thought more. Something that was less arrogant, but also quicker to attack. Something that I never wished to look upon. Nay, I never wished to look on its ugly form. I finally reached the top of the hill, I expected the worst. But as I peeked over the edge, the worst could not describe it. My jaw dropped as I saw the horrible scene spread out before me. Red grass launched globs of blood into the air, which darkened its color. Horrible beasts dripped crimson life force, gooey and dried bits of flesh and some substance I guessed was pieces of them. Their oversized face reached nearly to the ground, roaring in agony and and clawing the ground. Giant spiders crawled pitifully across the ground, gurgling and occasionally shooting a spurt of venom onto the ground, which withered the grass further. The leaves of the trees did not blow in the wind as they should, but writhed like thinking beings, as if they were in pain. Swarms of sleek and red flies, the size of tires shot through the air, with no wings to carry them. Blood trailed behind them, which fell onto not corrupt grass, instantly infecting it. The whole place seemed infected. Not dead like the corruption, but sick and dying, forced to stay alive. The only thing not in agony was the floating bugs, who were eerily well coordinated. Unlike the beasts of the corruption, they worked together, and flew in organized files, "painting" the ground. They all produced a rhythmic buzz, all perfectly in tune. I rummaged around in my pack. After a minute or so, I pulled out a small blue bottle. I popped the cork out, and drank it. Just for my satisfaction, I threw the empty bottle off the ledge. I heard a small crash and a scream of pain as one of the facial monsters fell to the ground, stuck on his back. I laughed dryly, before throwing myself off. I floated down gracefully, thanks to my feather fall potion. I landed with a "thump" and glanced around. No beasts seemed to notice me. I whistled innocently, before crouching to the ground and hiding behind some infected grass. As I looked around, it shot a full blast of blood on my face. I swore at the evil plant, before thinking of something- maybe if I looked like one, the dumb ground dwellers would not notice me. I reluctantly let myself be covered, before standing up and walking about. None seemed to notice me. I hoped that the well practiced air dwellers were too busy to notice me. And I hoped that the brains behind all this did not have their nearly blind eye trained on me. I hoped that they were almost blind- maybe he was a bit busy to think about me. I almost thought it would work, until a small amount began to drip off me. I quickly smeared it back on, but the flying creatures saw the smallest little details, apparently. One screeched, and the rest turned to me. I pulled the pin on a grenade, and hurled it forward. It hit the one who called attention, and blew him inside out. I smiled and hoped that this would hurl them into chaos. But I was terribly wrong- others saw the demise, other, smarter captains. The whole land seemed to look at me with accusatory eyes. I kept my bravery, and held out my sword.  
"Behold!" I shouted to the hungry crowd, "this blade was formed of your ancestors, and you will die by their shame!" They all buzzed angrily, before charging. I whirled my blade around, gutting dozens from afar. The army only swelled though- with each one that died, five replaced it. I no longer felt so mighty. I did not yet despair, for I had a remote chance. As the army closed in, and twirled my blade, and waited for them to come. And hundreds crowned around me, and I silently waited. As they came within striking range, I cried out, and swung. I flicked and stabbed and spun and jumped, managing to stay alive. Piles of the dead creatures gradually formed around me, some still twitching. But they continued to swarm, and their courage was only bolstered. I knew I was injured and weary, and my cloak was torn. It was only a matter of minutes until my mighty stand was overwhelmed. I was thrown to the ground, where the beasts circled around me. With the energy I had left, I still stabbed at any that came close, growling with fury. I was bleeding all over, and my senses were dulling. My mind was set on survival now, not killing. Suddenly, the crowd abated, and something floated through, crushing the rest. A giant brain it was with dozens of watchful eyes floating around it, keeping it up to date with the comings and going.  
"Tricky!" I thought to myself, "he is clever- he sees all, even with no eyes of his own!" I managed to pull myself up, and beheld his mighty form. It pulsated with red energy, and seemed almost invincible. I cried out and lashed at the tissue with my sword. One of the eyes seemed to teleport in the way of the sword. The impact jarred my arms and threw me onto the ground. The air flew out of me as my back hit a rock protruding from the ground.  
"You... Fool!" The brain whispered, crushing my mental defenses as a mighty rhinoceros might crush an ant. "Until my eyes are defeated, you can not harm me- I know all, and I know that you are fierce and dangerous, though I could still easily triumph over your pitiful form." I cowered under the shadow of the disembodied brain, for it truly was a sight to make even the bravest of hearts strain to stay bright. My bravery snapped under that shadow, and part of me died. That arrogant and foolish part of me that let me take on anything- I never felt so incomplete. I felt like an insect under his mighty form. An insect with a harmless stinger, that could cause only an itchy rash. I felt as if he was attempting to pull my legs off as a young child may do with a grasshopper. My sword's furious buzz gradually faded as I felt my consciousness split. In a desperate attempt to escape inevitable death, I groped for my magic mirror. I found it and stared into it, not only to escape, but to look at myself. I didn't see me though- I saw a frightened teenager, a shell of what was supposed to be a hero.


	3. Chapter 3: Poison!

Chapter 3: Poison!

"What is wrong with me?" I asked myself as the mirror worked its magic, "this isn't like me!" I felt the familiarly worn grass of my lawn turf. Good thing it worked. The blue mist cleared away, and I stumbled into the nurses house. The rain crashed down on me still, seeming to mock my defeat. My clothes dripped water and blood, which mingled into a clear red substance quickly puddling around me. I slowly opened the door. The moment I stepped foot inside, I was knocked to the ground by another human. I looked up to see guide's joyous face staring down.  
"I thought you were dead!" The buoyant guide laughed, picking himself up, "but I should have known- you just don't die." I winced.  
"That does hurt you know!" I hissed, stumbling onto the bench. Guide muttered a hasty apology, before running to get nurse. On his way out, he threw me a flask of red liquid. I gladly sipped it from the glass container, before putting it down beside me. Some of the wounds healed, but it wasn't near enough to stop the pain. My invisible armor was still to regenerate. I removed my helm, and put it on the ground beside the bench. I did not even want to try to retrieve my sword from the ground, even if it was lying in my yard. I take another sip of the liquid, which drains the flask except of a small puddle at the bottom. I tilt the vial a bit, watching the remaining liquid spread over the inside surface, before standing it upright. It slowly drizzled back to the bottom. I smiled and played with it for a while, taking my mind off the injuries I had taken. In a few minutes, nurse and guide came walking in, nurse carrying her clipboard. Guide handed her a pencil, and she began to examine my condition.  
"I would say that the wounds were minor, but they all have something that was injected into them. Like some sort of poison," she said. The word hit me like a stone- poison! I became uneasy, squirming a bit. I bit my lip and tried to get a glam pose at what nurse was writing. Guide seemed equally disturbed, constantly looking at the paper. Finally, the nurse looked up from the clipboard and said,  
"It appears that many of the wounds contained a neurotoxin, probably injected by the pincers of these bug like creatures. Do not panic, there is an antidote. Stand still please." The nurse removed a small injection tube, with a sharp looking needle from her pocket. She walked to her desk, and opened a tiny drawer. She took out a tiny green vial, and poured a bit of its contents into the tube. "This won't hurt a bit!" The nurse said encouragingly. I squirmed a bit. "Hold still!" She muttered, raising the needle. I pulled my sleeve up a bit. The needle was put against my skin, before abruptly being jabbed in. It was removed just as quickly. I rolled my sleeve back down.  
"That was easy." I said, beginning to get up.  
"No. Here come the painful part." She said, sitting back down behind her desk. I glanced around the room. Suddenly, I felt a slight burning sensation in my arm. I hoped that it was the worst. It gradually grew until I felt as if my veins were on fire. But it was only that arm. I could handle it. I smiled, thinking about slimes. Just as I thought it ended, I felt as if a spark struck within me. Every vein and nerve in my body lit up. A blazing inferno raged through my nervous system, wrecking my mind. I screamed in agony, and fell to the ground. The nurse had only a slight look of sympathy, but guide ran over, and tried to help me up. And as quickly as it started, it stopped. My vision was blurry and my senses numbed, but I felt energized and fixed. My wounds began to heal, and I felt whole once again. My bravery and arrogance just sort of came back with that.  
"What was that?" I managed to ask, looking at nurse.  
"Ah, that substance. It is the rare unicorn blood. It renews the spirit and kills poison, but also sends a shockwave throughout the nervous system. It is this shockwave that fully wakes the mind from darkness, and often heals those who are experiencing severe trauma. It is unknown how it works, but with the banishing of unicorns from Terraria until the time is right, the substance has become very sought after and rare." They said, the information registering through my brain. I pieced it together, before concluding,  
"So... We can bring these unicorns back?" The nurse began to explain, but guide covered her mouth.  
"Yep. Someday, someday Far in the future." This comment left me disturbed, and I could not help but fantasize about why guide wanted to hide something like that so bad. Maybe it had to do with the whole underworld thing? He was pretty secretive about that place, saying that it was off limits for now. Were they somehow linked? I banished the thought, and decided to turn in for the night. I slept on my new bed, wondering what the future would bring.


	4. Chapter 4: Guide's past

Chapter 4: The Guide's past.

When I woke up, I greeted the day with a yawn, before throwing the covers off and jumping from my bed. Though it was uncomfortable, I kept my sheath by my side during my sleep. Was I really that insecure? I was in no mood to perform a fancy sword flourish, so I instead looked around the room for any items that I might want to keep with me. I picked up my infinitely large leather pouch, and hung it over my shoulder. I almost walked out the door to see the sun rising, but saw a small paper note laying on the nurse's desk. I raised an eyebrow and went to examine it.

_I am out of office right now- as is arms dealer. Expect to see neither of us until six PM. If you are reading this we are probably already gone. Thank you!_

A scribbled smiley face was written under it. I snorted and walked outside. I noticed some noise coming from guide's and arms dealer's house. I raised an eyebrow and walked over, trying to see what was up. I cracked the door open a bit, and saw arms dealer running about the house. He was holding a bouquet of roses in his hand, and seemed a bit neater than normal. Guide sat in a chair near the corner, reading something. He ignored arms dealer completely.

"Erm… Hi guys!" I said, trying to sound cheery.

"Look, if you have anything you want, make it quick. I have a date with the nurse in an hour!" An irate arms dealer muttered. I laughed. Nothing overdone, just a nice chuckle. As he ran about, I stuck my leg out as to stop him and have him explain. He did not seem to understand, and ran headlong over it, falling onto the floor. "Are you trying to kill me!?" He grumbled, looking at me as if I was an idiot. I sighed and shook my head.

"Arms dealer, you never even told me anything about this. I'm fine with it and all, but actually, you just cleared a lot up. I did not understand why you had not yet spoken to me during the time I was recovering. Why didn't you tell me? Anyways, good luck. And by that I mean bad luck." I said with a smirk. He said something under his breath, before pushing the door open and slamming it, leaving the house as he did. Guide chuckled a little bit, before burying his nose in the book again. I looked a little more closely, and noticed that a small inscription was etched on the front of the leather bound book.

"Where did you get that?" I asked, trying to read the glyphs. Guide looked up for a moment, before saying,

"Well, there's a large blue building simply titled "the dungeon" Over the hills, and a crazy old man resides there. To grasp at the meaning of this story, you must know the player who retrieved this book. He was eager to reward me for some help I gave him, so he scouted around for something I would like. Naturally, he knew I loved reading, so when he saw some books at the entrance, he grabbed them off the shelf. The old and mysterious man would not let him past there, and he was sensible enough to listen. Ironically, he died there. I do not know specifics." I think he sensed the question I had, because I began to ask, the guide stopped me, and began to speak once more. "Yes, the world is reset every time the hero dies. All the buildings he built crumble, and his treasure is put underground, in rare golden chests, and in clay pots. His life force is made into solid life crystals, one of which I know you found and used. This is all done by the magic of the world. We as the hero's helpers spread out again, and hide until a new hero comes to give hope to this land that otherwise has none. However, any items he owned are often times saved, or at least the ones that aren't put underground. Most are just junk, but the book he gave me remained with me. Or rather, the books. They are very long, and I still have not finished all of them. Does this information help you?" I was bewildered by the amount of information I had just received. It all made sense now. All the mysteries came together like pieces of a puzzle. Not the puzzle- it was but one piece in the grand puzzle, perhaps a corner. The big puzzle was all the mysteries I was yet to solve, even the ones I was quite certain I never would solve. But to me, guide was the biggest mystery. What was he always worried about, why did he conceal certain information, deeming it useless, or simply another hazard to worry about? I did know, however, that the day I uncovered it all would be the day that I would wish I hadn't lived.


	5. Chapter 5: Hope on the horizon!

AN: Thanks to those who actually read this story. I am glad that I'm finally getting a teensy bit of recognition. Reviews are appreciated, but not required. Also, I am totally open to suggestions. Any that I happen to get I will incorporate somehow, even if you don't quite see it :). I must admit, ideas are not exactly being imported from my brain quick enough. Thank you, and I can't wait to see what ideas I get.

Chapter 5: Hope on the horizon

"So… guide- I have another important question." I said, glancing over at him. It had been a week since I was enlightened on the subject of how he got the books he always read, and also the other surprising information I gleaned from the encounter. He looked up from his book, and gave me one of his rare sincere smiles.

"Ask away!" He replied, lowering the book. He always loved when I asked questions. Maybe he felt more useful, or maybe it was that he knew he was actually helping me- he was more than luggage. I knew that he knew it already, but maybe he liked the fact that I acknowledged it.

"There is something I didn't tell you guide. When I went to the dying land, I met something. Something so horrendous that it seemed stronger than me. My prowess was snapped utterly and completely under the beast's gaze. He seemed invincible- my sword was about as effective as a twig. Not only that, but it flung me backwards with the force of the deflection- how can I kill that thing?" I asked, without giving him time to speak. He frowned and folded the page he was on. He put the book next to him.

"I believe you speak of the brain of Cthulhu. Similar to the eye, it is the superior thinking device of the beast. The eye could see all, and with the brain, it was unstoppable. With the recent slaughter of the eye, I believe it created itself many weaker versions, to see for him. If my calculations are correct, the eyes are not very strong. They move in a predictable wave, and a single well planted bomb could obliterate the force. After they are gone, the brain fractures near the middle. Avoid contact with it in this phase, as it could crush your mental wall and drive you insane if it could just make full contact. It is very fragile, however. In this state, a single arrow can render him brain dead. Literally. Not only will he be a moderately dead brain, but he will lose all ability to think. The brain itself is not the only thing that must be destroyed- the core that holds its thoughts must also. As long as the arrow pierces deep enough, the whole thing will be shattered." He finished with a buoyant note, seemingly encouraging me to try it. No, not buoyant, determined. Determined that I could do it. I was the hero, and he was the guide. _My _guide. I smiled and thanked him, hoping that it would keep both of our spirits up. I knew that guide was trying his best to make it sound simple and easy, but I think he purposely left out everything else that I would be up against. He wanted to believe in me, and _heck_, I did too! But that wasn't easy when the enemy could drive me insane by touching me.

I was outside, laying in the swaying grass. I was still thinking about if it was truly worth it. Was I really going to almost certainly die for terraria? I didn't want to. I didn't want to think about it. I closed my eyes and remembered the easy days- when I could sit at my house and play games, eat whatever food I wanted, and play with people I had known for years. We would sit and talk, often times watching the sun set. We would drink sodas, sit on our porch and talk about silly stories we had made. We didn't have to worry about anything back then. There was not worry that the whole world as I knew it could be destroyed by an evil force if I weren't out there to save it. Not anyone, but me. I could honestly care less if some evil force came to earth- I could trust that the military would blow them up. I would be safe at home, enjoying my life. With him. I couldn't remember his name anymore- so strange he was the one thing I couldn't remember. I think his name was Joe or something. He was always there to look out for me, give me company. We had known each other since I moved onto that street. We were always best friends, and though we didn't always see each other every day, we had fun when we did. Now that I think of it, we would always play games that reminded me of this Terraria place- one called Minecraft, and I vaguely recalled one that might have been called Terraria- I didn't remember the details, but when I thought about it, it did kind of remind me of that game. Had we really been playing that zombie survival game? I thought a bit harder. I was somewhat mystified by my conclusion: We had been playing the very game terraria. We had been playing it together. It was no mystery that I was certainly in Terraria, or at least a strange and three dimensional version of it. _We were playing it together. _This sparked something in my mind- maybe he was here with me! I smiled gleefully at the thought- maybe it would give me confidence. Maybe… maybe he was somewhere trapped in the crimson. Maybe it was my job to save him- maybe the brain had imprisoned him. My bliss suddenly turned to hatred- I now not only felt a sense of duty to free the world of crimson, but a smoldering fury, directed at the brain. If he had my friend, he would pay. And not by credit card, but from his blood deposit.


	6. Chapter 6: A possible solution!

AN: Sorry for the late update- I was hoping to get some suggestions. Despite this, I received exactly zero. Thanks for reading at though, and I hope that I can implement some reader ideas soon! Anyways, enjoy the story, and if you have the time, please give me some suggestions.

Chapter 6: A possible solution!

Guide had told me that more villagers would come to aid me in my quest if I built more houses. I had plenty of stone, and I still had a bunch of wood left over from previous times. He had specifically told me that a dwarven explosives dealer might move in if I had any bombs left. Naturally, I had saved a few, thinking I would need them in an emergency. He also claimed that some desperate merchant might arrive if I was carrying at least fifty silver coins. Since most monsters left behind some cash when their fate was sealed, I had a fair amount of coins on me. I had lost some during the massacre in the crimson biome, but I still had seven golden coins on me.

It was a few hours before I began the familiar process of building a house. It seemed so foreign- I only ever built things when I was escaping from difficult situations. Gradually, wooden walls and a sloped cobblestone roof formed next to me. By the end, I had a two celled shack, without any sort of window. Both rooms contained a chair and a table, both with a bowl. Nurse planned to fill them with a brown stew, as a welcoming gift. The room that I was to assign to the demolitionist also had a chest filled with any explosives I could gather, and with an unlit torch on the table. I had figured out that torches did burn out, but a single spark could light the highly flammable gel back up. I could only guess what he would do with the torch- he could light up all the explosives at once! The merchant's room contained a small stone statue that reminded me of an angel. I had been told by guide that it was useless in every aspect, and that it was indeed called an angel statue. He claimed that long ago, a wizard had tried to bring it to life- it didn't do anything. I thought that a junk dealer like this merchant would find it humorous or offensive- whichever, he could use it how he pleased. He also mentioned something about a deity of the forest- dryad or something. I was not sure if I could convince them to help me. When I was done, I still had some wood, and a bit of cobble. I frowned at my dwindling supplies- just enough for one more house. Maybe I could convince a dryad to move in. I thought about it- before mining out some clay. I molded it into the form of several flower pots, before putting it in the furnace. While I waited, I picked some plants, grabbing lots of seeds, and some vines that I could put on the wall of the house. They would probably grow like normal. As they finished, I thought about a light source- I then remembered that fallen star I had found earlier. It was strangely warm, and let off a yellow glow. They were shaped like the stereotypical five pointed star, and were just as tiny as seen in the sky. I took it from the chest in guide's house, and dropped it in the bottle. I put the cork back on and put it in my pouch. I grabbed the flower pots from the furnace, which were now finished, and threw them in with the star in a bottle. The sun was going down- the light was fleeing. I ran to the building site, and constructed a small greenhouse. I had some glass in my pack, so I made a glass roof. I constructed a wooden table, and placed a few flower pots on it. I put a chair behind it. I then planted some of the seeds around the room, and in the pots. I hung the vines on the ceiling, and looked over my work. I noticed that it was still dark. I smiled and removed the star in a bottle from my pack, placing it on the table. The yellow glow seemed to warm the room. As I placed it, the sun sunk beneath the distant hills, most of its brilliant light being blocked by red mist from the crimson. I hoped that the dryad had something to do with purifying the mess. Proud of my work, I walked back to the nurse's office, and turned in for the night- I sure was glad that guide had built me a bed! As slumber took over, I thought about events to come- how was to kill the cursed brain? Maybe the explosives specialist sold dynamite- yes guide had said something about him selling those "red sticks of destruction." Maybe if it was well placed, I could destroy all of the seeing devices instantly. Wait- hadn't guide already thought of that? Not that I cared, since guide already knew almost everything. However, I hoped I had just encountered a possible solution. And maybe explosives would help me once the eyes were gone- I could probably blow it to pieces. Well, ever heard the saying, "explosives solve everything,"? For once, this was held true. And maybe everyone could fight with me- the strange red beetles that guide called "Crimeria" would have to be dealt with. I did not want any of them to be hurt, but I was pretty certain that I could not do it alone. If I had everyone with me, I still had a chance. An ever growing chance that may save my friend- and of course, spare the whole world from the inevitable fate of becoming a red and gruesome mess. Whatever happened, I knew that I was not going alone. That was certain.


	7. Chapter 7: New people!

Chapter 7: New people!

I awoke to a knock at my door. I groaned and rolled out of bed, landing on my face. I looked at the watch laying on the counter- it was six in the morning! I was running late. I jumped up, and opened the door. The figure I was met with was a short and orange haired man; he had a long beard, which reached halfway down his torso. He had a bomb hanging behind him. He was shorter than me, about half my height, and he wore a yellow mining helmet. If it weren't turned off, I was almost certain it would've lit the house up like it was day. He smiled.  
"Hello! I am the demolitionist. Call me demolitionist!" He said. I snorted and after backing up a bit, replied, "Demolitionist- what a lovely and original name!" His smile grew larger.

"Thank you!" He said sincerely. I was starting to wonder if he understood that I was being sarcastic. I opened the door a bit wider, before pointing to the house I built for him. "You will know which house is yours. It-" I began, but did not finish. He walked out the door and ran to the house. I sighed and began to sit back down, but another knock came at my door. I growled and opened it. Another bearded man, who seemed a lot older stood at the door. He wore plain brown robes, and a similar hat. He was carrying a small satchel at his side. I supposed it was much like mine- it probably carried millions of items.

"Nice hat…" I said, examining him. He eyed my suspiciously before saying,

"Thank you. The hat is from a place that might not even exist! Anyways, call me merchant." I looked at him more closely.

"Erm… what would a gold coin buy me?" I asked.

"Wha- gold! Did you say GOLD!? I'll take that off ya!" He said excitedly. Well, he showed all the traits of your average merchant.

"Well, what other 'wares' do you sell? I am not interested in your ridiculous hat," I added. He looked at me with a face that screamed "Indignity!" to me. "Could I buy and angel statue then?" I asked, smirking.

"Angel statue? Sorry, I don't deal in junk," he asserted, turning away.

"Well, you can live next to the dwarf guy- I hope you like your gift!" I said, pointing to his house. He looked at me in horror and stammered, "Wha- what!? Are you crazy? I will not live next to that lunatic!" I shoved him forwards and smirked. "Deal with it," I said, closing the door. I heard him swearing outside. I laughed, and sat down on the bench. Knock knock. I drew my sword from its sheath (which was propped against the bench) and threw it at the door. It hit on the floor next to it. I grumbled and picked it up before shouting,

"I AM NOT HERE!" I heard a sigh outside, and the door opened. I was half expecting another bearded man, but I did not see one. I was met by female, whose clothes consisted mostly of tangled vines. Like merchant, she had a small bag hanging at her side. I sighed, and asked "Hello person, who are you?" They chuckled, and said,

"I am the dryad. Not dryad- note the "the" before my occupation. I would not stoop so low as to name myself "dryad." Being as dryad is not an occupation, and note that I am "the dryad." There are no others of my kind. That is actually my name. If there are others, they are not called dryad." I took all the information in before replying.

"Thank you for enlightening me on the origins of your name. As you can tell, I really care. Anyways, I have made you a house- It is full of plants. Feel free to add more at your leisure." They looked at the ceiling, looking terribly aggravated. I hoped I had not antagonized yet another villager.

"Very well, I will stay there. I sure hope you can help me clear out the crimson- until it is gone, we are going to have to work together." I think we were both dismayed at the thought. After her speech, dryad (ahem- the dryad) walked out the door, slamming it behind them. I thought about the chances of us getting along- they were low. At the moment, however, I was expecting more people to come barging in. I waited twenty minutes and no one came. Finally, there was a knock on the door. I opened it. Guide strode in, grumbling,

"Player, I do sure hope that you know how bad that merchant is! He and arms dealer are actually collaborating! They are scheming on how they are going to sell junk to you! I hope this is worth it!" I sighed, and beckoned for him to sit down.

"Well guide… I do too. Dryad doesn't seem as bad." Guide's face turned red for a moment- either out of embarrassment or trying to hold in a gale of laughter. I was guessing it was the latter. "And that demolitionist- well at least he's friendly." Guide smiled at this.

"Well, his heart is in the right place." He said, looking over at his house.

"Of course it is- it would be terrible if his heart was in his foot!" I joked nudging guide. It took him a moment to react, but when he did, all of the laughter he was holding in burst out. I smiled and tried not to laugh with him, but I simply could not. It was not long before we were both howling with laughter. I heard someone laugh a bit outside. I slammed my fist on the edge of the chair, and began to calm down. I hoped that all the days ahead would have laughter somewhere in them. Perhaps life in Terraria wasn't that bad!


	8. Chapter 8: Purify you

AN: My grammar and spelling my mistakes are to be forever corrected- thank goodness for beta readers. All credit for correcting any errors originally in the document goes to 001. A big thanks to him!

Chapter 8: Purify you…

"So… you want some dynamite? Tell you what, I'll give you a free complimentary stick of dynamite with the purchase of ten grenades!" The demolitionist said, stroking his beard. I grabbed ten silver coins from my pocket (which seemed to store only money, but never seemed to fill up) and put them on the counter. He looked over them. "Your change is… two silver, fifty copper." He stated, rolling some grenades across the table, and handing me the change. I put the grenades in the pack, and the change in my pocket. He then carefully handed me a stick of dynamite. "Mind you don't blow it up near anything you value…" he whispered, giving me a wink. I smiled and gingerly put it in the pack. I kept it away from anything metal. I winked back and walked out the door.

"Next stop, the dryad's house!" I said to myself, striding over to the greenhouse. I heard humming from inside. I shrugged and opened the door. The dryad was inside, humming something while watering a very small moonglow sprout. It grew by the second, before becoming a full sized plant. I watched curiously. It seemed that the whole house was now covered in plants. Plants were on every surface, some growing, and some blinkroot- well- blinking. The room was somewhat dark, but had a cozy feel to it. It felt like a livelier version of the underground. "Um excuse me but-." I started. The dryad stopped humming and turned around. "How did you do that?" I finished. The dryad smiled.

"Singing to plants accelerates their growth rate. I sprinkled some purification powder on them too- it's a kind of fertilizer.," she said, pointing to a large blue bag on the floor, "I am the only one who knows the recipe- and the only one who can make it." I looked at it more closely, examining the symbol on the front. Something about the name made me ask,

"Umm… does it actually purify anything?" The dryad gave me a look that said "You don't say!"

"Noooooo!" she said sarcastically, sprinkling some on the ground. A few tufts of grass sprouted up. "It's called purification powder for a reason, darn it!" That led to another question from me.

"So… what does it purify? Does it revert the Crimson back to normal?" The dryad thought for a moment, before saying,

"Well- I only tested it on the corruption before, but since they are both impurities, I suppose purification powder reverses the effect. Say- you could buy some if you want, and test it over there." I considered the offer, before asking,

"How much would a gold coin get me?" The dryad seemed to be doing some mental math.

"A lot." She replied. I handed her a golden coin. She smiled, and reached in her pouch. She took out a large bag of it, and said "This bag holds all the purification powder you need. It remains light, even when filled to the brim! If you ever need more, I can fill it back up." I thanked her, and walked out the door. I was about to walk out, but dryad began to speak again. I turned around.

"Be safe… Terraria needs you!" she said. I smiled and closed the door. The bag felt as if it had nothing in it, but I knew better. I slung it over my shoulder, and ran across the plains, right to where the Crimson had spread. It was, unfortunately, coming closer to the village.

"Not for long!" I said to myself. I grabbed a handful and threw it onto the red grass. It twisted and gurgled, before turning green again. I repeated this all across the line of red grass, and went forward a bit. I forced it over the hill, before finally stopping at the cliff. "Aaaannnndddd- let's purify you!" I muttered, reverting the last tuft of grass to purity. I peered over the cliff- it could not spread back up from there. For now, the problem was solved. I hoped that the Crimera didn't notice that I had stopped the spread to my house. I was almost proud of myself, but when I looked over the vast area that was still infected, my courage quailed.

I turned around, but was met by a buzz. I slowly looked behind me. Four giant Crimera were approaching. I reached for my sword, only to find I had left it at home. Why did I do that again? I quickly remembered that I did not wish to scare my villagers by barging into their home with a sword. I backed up, but noticed I was cornered at the edge of the cliff. Well, this was the end. The end of the hero. I looked around for an escape, but there was none. I then resorted to the stupidest thing I could think of- I shouted for help. I knew it would not work, but it made me feel better.

They closed in, and I braced myself for the searing pain of flesh being torn- but it never came. An arrow shot straight through the one nearest to me, and it tumbled to the ground. I took the opportunity to bolt forward, barely dodging another. I would try to blow them up, but I would probably catch myself in the blast. I ducked under a quick snapping of jaws, and heard another arrow shoot by. I grabbed a handful of powder, and threw it at the remaining two attackers. They shrieked and fell, but instead of dying they shrunk and grew small wings. The mandibles disappeared, and a beak took their place. Their red color washed away, and white feathers grew.

I smiled and looked upon my attackers. They chirped and took flight, flying over to the village. Funny, to think that my attackers were actually infected birds! But the source of the arrows remained a mystery. I looked over at the village. Dryad was standing in front of the greenhouse, with a wooden bow and several arrows at her side.

"I said be safe idiot!" she shouted, though I could tell she was smiling. I chuckled and decided I had had enough of the Crimson for the day. I picked up the bag of blessed powder, and ran back to the village, silently thanking the dryad for her timely intervention


	9. Chapter 9: A job to tackle together!

Chapter 9: A job to tackle together! It had been a few days since I had purified some of the crimson. I was still thanking my luck (And the dryad) for my close escape. Luckily, the Crimeria were too busy to notice the small area I had fixed. I was sitting in nurses office (Nurse was always off with arms dealer, and so I used the house most of the time) and staring at the wooden ceiling. The bench I was sitting on was beginning to wear a bit- I often times would be frustrated by merchant's "One of a kind products!" and since I could think of nothing better, bring out my fury on the poor chair. It had a few dozen cuts and missing pieces now, thanks to the sharpness of my sword. I would have to repair it soon. At the moment though, I was thinking more about what would happen if Crimeria discovered my house. Could wood corrupt? I doubted it. I knew stone could though, and any stone roofs would become crimson infested. I did not want to know what would happen to dryad. I decided that if it did not happen, it didn't matter. I wanted to destroy the crimson once and for all, but I did not think that it was possible. The spread was amazing, and I knew that killing the brain would not end it- it knew better than to let death prevent the spread. He probably had a new leader already stored. Or maybe- maybe he was only a distraction. Perhaps he was just a smart minion of something much greater- something that could maintain the spread. Perhaps the brain was not controlling the Crimeria- no, he- it, was smarter than to simply shoot them in perfect lines. He would make them attack from strategic locations- and he would not show them off. Something more intent on showing raw power was behind this. But with all this crimson, I knew that someone else was going to have to help me. Maybe a couple of people- but maybe this was a job to tackle together. Maybe I could leave merchant behind- I doubted that nurse had any skill in fighting, and arms dealer would likely prove to be a distraction. The Dryad was someone I wanted helping me- even if she was a bit nature obsessed, she had good aim, and limitless purification powder. Guide had his sword, and I had since learned that he was actually good with it. With those two fighting alongside me, maybe I could get something done. I thought about this, and decided to ask the dryad first- guide would follow me any time. I took my sword from the side of the bench (no way I was leaving it behind this time) and opened the door. I walked over to the greenhouse, and looked in. Dryad appeared to be beating something with a steel gardening shovel. I ran in and saw that she was struggling against a large (and scary looking) plant, which had a giant beaked mouth at the end. It was growling and snapping, while spiraling all over the room. Not thinking, I grabbed my sword, and slashed at the mouth. A large gash opened. I almost grabbed some purification powder from my pouch (which I had stored the pouch of purification powder in- is that a paradox?) and threw it at the man eating plant, but decided it would most likely make the plant even bigger- a thought I did not like. I continued to slash, while backing up the whole time. The Dryad appeared to be drawing her bow. The thing didn't want to give in though- it seemed to be made of some sort of blade resistant material. It spilled a sticky green substance that I had long associated with eater of souls- I hoped that it was not related. I then noticed that the substance was healing it, and that I was not doing any damage. "Hit… the- HIT THE ROOTS!" the dryad managed to say, while still being backed up against the wall. I dodged the snapping beak, and slid over to the pot it was growing from. I smashed the flower pot, and slashed at the clump of dirt that was left- I hoped it would hit something. At first, the plant forgot about me and extended towards the dryad, not noticing the slashing. It was just about at the wall she was hiding against when I managed to hit a root- or something vital. The plant writhed and fell over, before disintegrating. It left behind a small sprout- Moonglow I think. The dryad sighed in relief, and attempted to stand, but fell backwards. I looked a bit closer, and noticed that a large wound had opened in her side. "Oh god, I got here late didn't I?" I whispered, helping her up. She managed to sit down in one of the chairs. "That- that abomination was a result of my own experiments. It's- it's not your fault." The dryad croaked out, staring at the moonglow sprout, "Thanks for the effort though." I was guessing that it was indeed not their fault- purification powder did not cause mutations. I knew that the brain probably tampered with one of the ingredients in purification powder- he probably disguised death weed as some innocent plant. Death weed was known to do that kind of stuff. And he knew that if the dryad was dead, he could proceed to corrupt anything and everything without a problem. I was becoming a bit worried he had succeeded. "Dryad, stay there. I'll go get the nurse." I said, opening the door. She nodded, though I barely noticed, as I was already on my way to guide's house. When I got there, I flung the door open, and ran inside. Guide was tied to a chair, and arms dealer was smirking above him. Nurse was watching as well. Not waiting for an explanation, I tripped arms dealer and turned to nurse. "Nurse, this is an emergency!" I shouted, grabbing her arm and running out the door. Bewildered, nurse simply said, "Look, you're not bleeding, I don't know what I can do for you! What, are you poisoned!?" I shook my head and pointed to the dryad's house. "Quickly!" I muttered, running forwards. Nurse followed without question. I slashed through the door with my sword, cutting it down. Nurse looked at the situation. "Oh my god! I'm good, but not that good!" The nurse joked, running over to the injured Dryad. She took a large red bottle from her pocket, and put it on the table. "Drink up!" The nurse said, pointing to the bottle. The dryad grabbed the bottle, and drank the healing liquid. The wound sealed up, leaving a long red cut. Just then, the dryad clutched her throat, and did not move. I kicked the table. The dryad did not stir. She slumped forward onto the table. "Is… she dead?" I asked, finally despairing. The nurse did not shake her head. "I do not know… honestly, she should be up and talking now!" She said, confusion showing on her face. I suddenly felt sick; I had failed my job to protect my friends. Now, possibly the second most important person in the village was dead. Dead. The word tasted bitter in my mouth. I fell to my knees. "But- but- she was alive just a moment ago!" I stuttered, looking around the room. "What happened? The nurse's eyes began to tear up. "Player- I really don't know. This has never happened!" she said, looking at the dryad. "No… this can't happen. Why them? Why not me? I could take the bite from a plant!" I asked, looking at the moonglow bloom. Just then, I remembered something guide had said. Flashback: "Guide, can I eat moonglow? I am STARVING I tell you! I don't have anything else!" I muttered, looking at guide. "No! Don't even think about it! That stuff is poisonous, and could put you in a coma! The only known cure is the universal cure, unicorn blood! That stuff is really rare, and I wouldn't want to have to waste it now- it could be useful in the future. Anyways, I don't have any. I bet the one nurse I met a while ago does- I think she used it once." BAM! Now I remembered! "Nurse!" I shouted, looking at the now red and teary eyed doctor, "The plant that bit her grew from a moonglow sprout! Don't ask how! Do you have any unicorn blood left?" I was sure she knew that moonglow was poisonous. "Actually, yes, I do. I always carry a spare vial around!" she replied, brightening up. She took it from her pocket, and set it aside. She took out a small washcloth, and poured a bit onto it. "What?" I started, but she cut me off, saying, "In the case of a direct poisoning, the cure must be applied to the wound, in small amounts. I can't just pour it on!" I nodded. She put the now soaked washcloth onto the wound, and waited. Dryad did not move, but one eye opened. I silently cheered- I sure was going to have to thank guide!

AN: Sorry for the long wait guys! when I tried to upload the document, it only copied half. a bunch of words were also tangled up. The middle was gone- I solved it today. Expect updates again :)


	10. Chapter 10: Chapter I forgot to name

AN: Sorry for the long wait- for those that still read this. I've been very busy with- well, life. Anyways, enjoy the chapter. Also, for those who wondered, Moonglow being poisonous is not an actual feature of Terraria. I doubt it ever will be. Disclaimer: I do not own nor am I affiliated with Terraria, or ReLogic in any way. It is a copyright of ReLogic, 2014, and this is based off the 1.2.3 version. I looked over at nurse, and she seemed happy enough. Another patient saved, and possibly another world saved. I could not help but smile as well. The world seemed like a friendlier place. The dryad opened her other eye, and slowly sat up. "What just happened?" she asked, looking around. I smiled. "We cured the poison." I replied, eyeballing the capped vial of unicorn blood. "Wait- poison? Why poison?" She asked, suddenly alert. "The thing that bit you grew from Moonglow, which is poisonous. This mutant version was probably even more so." I said, looking at the tiny green and blue sprout. "Ugh! Stupid me!" Dryad grumbled, also looking at the plant, "I forgot that it grew from a Moonglow." I shrugged. "Happens to the best of us." I laughed, turning out the door. Then I stopped. I turned around. "And… Dryad? Would you like to help me clear out some of the Crimson? Once you're healed, I mean." I added, trying to avoid offending her. She smiled, and quickly said, "Of course I will! It's time to end it once and for all!" I sure did like her enthusiasm. I nodded. "Good," I said. I proceeded to walk out the door. Next, I needed Guide. I ran over to his house, and opened the door. He was still tied to a chair, glaring at arms dealer. I wondered how much they hated each other. I growled and grabbed arms dealer by the shirt collar. "Explain this." I said calmly, though I wore a scowl. Caught off guard, he blurted out, "Nothing! It'snotmyfaultguidewasasmartalec!" I loved the way he mixed the words. I let go, and let him stumbled over. He turned around to look at me. "Guide was being annoying. So I tied him up," he said, this time making his intentions clear. I chuckled, and drew my sword. Arms dealer backed into the corner, and assumed a fetal position. I snorted, and walked up to him. "I'm not going to kill you arms dealer. Sometimes, I almost agree," I whispered in his ear. I turned around to Guide. I swung the blade, and the coils of rope fell slack. He sighed in relief. "Thanks player. I'm gonna have to pay you back somehow," he said, grinning. "Well actually, I was wondering if you could help me take out some of the Crimson. I'm planning to take out the Brain," I replied. Guide bolted up, and opened the chest that was in the room. He handed me my silver bow, which I supposed they had repaired. I still had my quiver and arrows in my pack. He then drew a translucent and blue sword, one made of diamonds and with a hilt of gold. The leather grip was worn from constant use. "You remember this thing right? Well, a hero I knew well used it once. Well, more like a million times. I plan to use it again," he said, holding up the shining blade. The blade cast a blue light around the room. "This blade is called Muramasa. It's light as a feather, and made of enchanted cobalt. The diamond around it was my doing. You see, he smashed a pot at the entrance to the dungeon west of here. A golden key dropped to the ground. He walked slightly into the dungeon, and found a locked chest. He tried the key, and it worked. He said that's where he found it. Funny that when he came back, he was killed. But I have kept the sword." After taking it all in, I simply said, "I take that as a yes." He smiled. "It's a yes." He replied. We shook hands, and I left, winking at Guide. Sometimes, I wondered what I would do without him. I quickly reminded myself that I do not have to do without him. I hoped not. I truly did. I knew deep inside me, however, that he couldn't always be there. He was the guide, and I was a hero. The hero. And he wasn't the guide. He was my guide. A hero someday has to go alone. As much as it hurt me, I knew that he would not be there forever. But he could be there for now. And that was what mattered. 


	11. Chapter 11: The Brain

Chapter 11: The brain "Guide, you got your sword?" I asked, glancing at the sheath by his side. Guide nodded, looking forward. "Dryad, you have your bow and arrows?" I asked, looking over at the dryad. She raised a long wooden longbow. I smiled. We were ready. It had seemed like forever, but only three days had passed since the dryad was healed. We had been stocking up on weapons (namely arrows,) and devising a plan. It had become well established that we were going to fight the brain and his minions with explosives and arrows, as we did not want to risk making contact with the abomination. And now, we were in the final stage. "Nice cape you're wearing- where did you get that?" Guide asked, glancing at my new cape- it was a dark blue color, and it was more of a cloak that a cape. I hoped he was trying to brighten our hearts. "Made it," I said drawing my sword. Guide grinned. "Everyone, take a feather fall potion- you will need it!" I said, passing out some small vials of the blue liquid. As we approached the ledge, I fitted my helmet. I had beam wearing mail and leggings wrought from silver I had found deep underground since I came outside. Guide had a copper helm, which I had made for him just a day earlier. Dryad wore no armor, but a light green dress. She usually wore nothing more than some tangled vines- and those were easily infected with crimson, as I pointed out. She had woven herself the dress a few years ago, when she first attempted to learn more about the corruption. With my sword drawn fully, I jumped over the edge. As soon as I hit the bottom, dryad and guide landed next to me. Well, guide landed on top of dryad. Muttering an apology, guide sprang up. The dryad did not. I ran over to her to see what was wrong. The dryad had several large cuts in her dress, all of which were leaking blood. A bed of thorns surrounded her. Crimson bushes. I got a bit closer, waiting through the thorns. They proved no problem for me, as I had leggings of metal. When I finally approached dryad, I decided that the brain really wanted her dead. She was not conscious. I sat her up, and dripped a bit of healing potion down her throat. It was not long before the cuts began to seal up, and the dryad was conscious once more. After a quick thanks, the dryad was back on her feet, careful to avoid small patches of spines that were left. We went a bit further, before venturing to the place where I had my last encounter. The piles of dead crimeria were still there, but flies were buzzing around. The guide looked about ready to throw up. I nudged him, and pointed to the sky. A few thousand crimeria were swarming in, blocking out the sun. Darkness began to spread over the field, as the vast army of infected birds began to form a shape. A very distinct one. A huge heart shape, not like valentines heart, but like a human heart. We waited anxiously, and I readied several grenades. Suddenly, a large circle appeared in the heart. What floated through next would haunt my dreams for years to come. The brain itself, covered in blood of those it forced out of its way. And in the center was a real beating heart, with a huge eye in the middle. Its many eyes floated around it, in a perfect circle. Guide looked away. Dryad shifted uneasily. I threw a grenade. It hit dead on, and blew one of the eyes to bits, then, all heck broke lose. Dryad loosed a strange arrow with a sparkling tip. It shot into the army of crimeria, and all but disappeared. Suddenly, the sky shook with a resounding "BOOM!" The army scattered, and pieces of the army flew everywhere. While dryad prepared to loose another arrow of the kind, I loosed a fire arrow. It pinned one of the eyes, lighting it on fire until all of its moisture was sucked out. Another one of the exploding arrows could be heard, leaving a large crater where the brain used to be. Some of the eyes exploded from the disruption. I began to smile, but the air next to me got colder. And out of nowhere, the brain reappeared. It charged into me, and threw me very far. I hit the ground and slid several feet, before stopping. Whatever he had just hit me with, it hurt. I struggled to get up, and gasped as I noticed that my ankle was broken. I groped for my sword, and was able to grab the handle. I used it as a crutch to get up. My ankle was searing with pain. I forced myself forward, and looked up at the brain. It seemed to be smirking on the inside; waiting for me to come closer. I readied a stick of dynamite. Guide and dryad looked over at me. First at the dynamite I was holding, then at the brain. I lit it, and ran forwards. The brain did not come forwards. I ran towards it. The next of what happened was a blur. The dynamite exploded at my feet. I was sent flying again, and my armor dented in many a place, and I was not sure if it had put a hole through me somewhere. My vision was becoming hazy, and I was bleeding. As I glanced up in my agony, I was just in time to see many of the eyes pieces finish falling to the ground. The brain was crippled badly from what I could tell. The pain of staying upright was almost too much. But I was a hero. The hero. I could not give in. I limped towards the brain, and my vision began to clear a bit. It was rushing towards both guide and dryad, keeping them on their toes. It turned around as I approached it. It could have broken my mental barrier. But I'd didn't. That was its mistake. I lashed out with my sword, over and over. The brain tried to flee, and slammed into guide and dryad. I winced at the sight, but pushed forwards. Then, I noticed a small sparkly object on the ground. One of the exploding arrows. I put it in the bow, and shot at the brain. "CRACK!" The sound hurt my ears. I looked over towards the brain- it was no longer recognizable. It was a mound of writhing pieces. With my last strength, I walked forwards and plunged my sword into the writhing mass. It stopped. I guess I ruptured the heart. But the crimson did not begin to go away. With a final effort, I smiled and toppled onto my side- I could take nothing more.


	12. Chapter 12: Terrible Realizations

AN: Writing from an airport- woo, on my way to Washington DC. In the meantime, I present you chapter 12.

Chapter 12: Terrible realizations As my consciousness began to trickle back, I felt a pain in my leg. In fact, the rest of my body hurt as well, but the pain in my leg was distinct. I guessed from a quick analysis that at least two bones were broken. I guess that I never did get an easy win.

"Ever." I thought, examining the room I was in. The nurse's room. Again. It reminded me all too much of the eater of worlds fight. I was not wearing my armor, nor did I have my sword, but my leather pouch was still with me. I reached in, and grabbed a healing potion. I sipped it from the bottle, and felt a bit better. I corked it and put the half full bottle back in the pouch. I wondered how it worked. Did it have some sort of magic "bag of holding stuff" spell? Because I could store weapons and tools that were half my size in the bag. It went the same with chests. Not that it mattered. It was a fact of life. And who was I to complain? It was somewhat convenient. Now that I thought about it, everything was rather convenient. Kind of like how Jedi and Sith have lightsabers color coded for your convenience. Except that in Terraria, the cooler something looks makes it more effective. Well, from what I had concluded, this was based off of a video game. It was not quite the same, but I knew that it had many of the elements of The game Terraria. The name was the most obvious part, but it had some other similarities. The guide was a human, not a literal guide book. You started off with a few copper tools- with an unrealistically "bigger on the inside than on the outside" bag. And now hat I thought about it, there were also some differences. I was almost certain that there was no respawn- from what guide had told me of past players. Then, I thought something horrible- you had to kill the guide to advance. As realization struck me, I let out a small choke and desperately tried to think of something else. I hated that cliched moment of horror and realization of a terrible fate. It happens too much. Memories of the game flooded in, and I realized that this was indeed Terraria. But was I part of one of those annoying Terraria self inserts? Where said character was super overpowered (and shamelessly boasted this.) Well, I lacked the latter. Heck, why do you think I wrote this in the first place? Because it had a decent plot that was worth recording. Maybe it will make its way to Some fan-fiction site. But with all these trivial annoyances hanging above me, I could not forget poor guide. He knew.

" Oh god. He knows!" I thought to myself, thinking of how awful it was for him. He had tried to conceal it for some time now. Well, I had to find out somehow. But was I really that surprised? Hadn't I been predicting such the whole time? And then it hit me. Quite literally. A small scrap of paper thrown in through a crack in the door.

"Earth to player!" I heard guide shout.

"Should I tell him I know?" I asked myself, one side screaming yes, but the more rational side shaking its head. I knew that I should wait.

"C- come in" I choked out. I felt awful not telling him. I tried to recall what happened next, but my memories only went to the part where I sacrificed the guide. I did not know what happened next, nor did I really want to. It was all just too much. I wished that I could have learned it all gradually. For the time, I would have to keep the terrible secret to myself. I knew that it would be painful, but I would pull through. Well, would I?


End file.
